Punjab CM Amarinder Singh asks Centre to take up security of Indians with US

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today expressed concern over the alleged racial assaults and abuse of Sikhs in the US and urged the Centre to take up the issue of security of Indians with the Donald Trump administration on priority basis.

Stating that there was no place for such intolerance in a democracy, he said that the Trump government should take stringent steps to check such incidents.

"Shocked as another Sikh abused in the US, no place for such intolerance in a democracy...," Singh said in his a series of tweet.

Shocked as another Sikh abused in the US, no place for such intolerance in a democracy. @WhiteHouse @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/LXXe3UwSAC

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) June 11, 2017

In another tweet, he said: "Indians, Sikhs in US are not feeling safe" and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up their security with the US President Donald Trump.

Indians, Sikhs in US are not feeling safe, please take up their security with @realDonaldTrump on priority @narendramodi ji @SushmaSwaraj ji

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) June 11, 2017

Later in a statement, the Chief Minister said that the governments in both the US and India needed to address the issue urgently.

Urging the central government to discuss the matter of security of Indians, and Sikhs in particular, with the US government, Singh said the two countries needed to collaborate to ensure the safety of the Indians through all possible measures.

Singh stressed on the need for sensitising the people of the US on the cultural identity of Sikh's and their contribution to global economic development and progress.

"With many of the racist attacks traced to mistaken identity, as a result of Sikhs being taken to be Muslim fundamentalists, it is important that awareness about Sikh identity be created among the Americans by the Trump government," he added.

The CM called upon the US President to be sensitive to the concerns of India in this matter as the two countries were the world's leading democracies, which needed to work together to promote the value of equality and tolerance.